The Water Extraction Method of Tongkat Ali
While western cultures are fast becoming familiar with the multi-dimensional health and increased testosterone benefits of Tongkat Ali, the southeast Asian cultures have been developing and using the extract for centuries. While tremendous technological and production advancements have been made to take the product global, certain aspects of the developmental process have survived for all centuries.
The primary method used is the water extraction method. Although manufacturers now report innovative use of an alcohol extraction process, which is suited to release other medicinal qualities of the herbal root chip. In both the water and alcohol extraction process, the manufacturer begins with the root of the mature, 20-30 year-old Eurycoma Longifolia tree. The distinctive trees thrive in the shady, damp, sandy soil of the southeast Asian rain forests. For the most effective Tongkat Ali extract, it is important to only use the roots of mature trees.
At full maturity the tree is about 12 meters in height and will have a vertically extended two meter root. The roots cannot be pulled. Each root must be hand dug to its full length. It is tiring and tedious work.
The glyco-proteins that make the Tongkat Ali extract so effective are also found in other areas of the Eurycoma Longifolia, but not in the same quantity, density or strength. The stems, bark, leaves and branches of the tree are harvested for other medicinal purposes.
About The Supply Chain
Due to the deforestation of much of the region, many hectares of the trees are carefully protected and more are being developed. The roots are dug out by local tribespersons and harvested until significant quantities exist for the lengthy trips to the region’s manufacturing sites. The accumulation of the treasured roots is labor-intensive and physically demanding. Rain forests present extremely demanding working conditions.
The numerous hectares in the rain forests are owned by the indigenous tribes and are far removed from the actual distribution centers. The Eurycoma Longifolia roots have never been exposed to pesticides.
Once the roots are collected and delivered to the manufacturing facility, they are thoroughly washed and dried over a period of one month. In yesteryear, the roots were hand-chipped but today electrical equipment is used to assure consistency and eliminate waste.
Once the chips are collected, they are soaked in water for at least 48 hours in huge stainless bins. The soaked chips are then exposed to repetitive 15 minute bursts of heat. No chemical additives are added during the manufacturing process.
The age-old process was slightly different. 50 grams of the root chips were boiled in water for between 30 and 60 minutes for several days. When the mixture was cool enough, the user simply drank the liquid extract. A single dose required fifty grams of the root chips.
Today, the chipped roots are filtered from the soaking water or alcohol, which evaporates in about 72 hours. Toward the end of the process, the evaporation is expedited to prevent the possibility of mold. This step is performed in big rotating dryers, which yield crystal-dry flakes. The flakes are next milled into powder, which is highly hydrophilic. To protect the extract, the powder is stored in air-tight containers before being shaped into tablet, capsule or powder form for transport.
Following the process above yields a Tongkat Ali Extract 1:50 meaning that 50 grams of the root chips were used to develop one part of the root extract. The raw brown powder has a distinctly bitter taste and is sometimes mixed with tea or coffee. The extract is 98 percent soluble in water or alcohol.
The heating process further serves to sterilize the powder, making it safe for consumption. The active ingredients in the extract are quassinoids, eurycomanone, eurycomanol, eurycomalactone and various canthine-6-in-one alkaloids.
The capsules, tablets and liquid forms are then packaged for safe delivery around the globe. The largest Tongkat Ali extract manufacturers are located in Malaysia, but other countries are also aggressive in marketing the product.
